Morris Kay

{{Short description|American former politician in the state of Kansas (1932–2022)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name =Morris Kay

|image =

|image_size=180px

|state_house= Kansas

|district = 40th

|term_start = January 9, 1967

|term_end = January 8, 1973

|preceded = Richard Dean Rogers

|succeeded = Carlos Cooper

|birth_name=

|birth_date = {{birth date|1932|7|31}}

|birth_place = St. John, Kansas, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2022|5|15|1932|7|31}}

|death_place = Overland Park, Kansas, U.S.

|party = Republican

|occupation=insurance executive, businessman

|spouse = Sandra Kay

|residence=Lawrence, Kansas

|children = Brad Kay, Jacob Kay

|relations=

|alma_mater=University of Kansas

|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}

|branch = {{flag|United States Army}}

}}

Morris A. Kay (July 31, 1932 – May 15, 2022) was an American politician in the state of Kansas. A Republican, he served in the Kansas House of Representatives.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UbEbAQAAMAAJ&q=Morris+Kay+1932++kansas|title = Kansas Voter's Guide|year = 1972}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19820725&id=46kyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IOgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3550,3834727&hl=en|title = Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search}}

Kay was born in St. John, Kansas and attended primary schooling there while helping his father on the family farm.{{cite news|title=Kay Seeks 3rd Term In State Legislature|newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World|date=June 9, 1970|page=40|accessdate=November 23, 2015|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19700609&id=ucQxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EOYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5736,5333655&hl=en}} He attended the University of Kansas, where he played college football, captaining the 1953 Kansas Jayhawks football team. He also served in the United States Army.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/34005375|title=Morris Kay Republican for Governor (advertisement)|newspaper=The Atchison Daily Globe|page=7|date=November 5, 1972|accessdate=November 23, 2015}} He was later an insurance executive. Kay was the Republican candidate for Governor of Kansas in the 1972 gubernatorial election, losing to incumbent Governor Robert Docking. At that time he was serving as majority leader of the Kansas House of Representatives.{{cite news|title=Kay is okay with Kansas Republicans|newspaper=The Salina Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/44021142|date=August 2, 1972|page=1|accessdate=November 23, 2015}}{{cite news|title=Morris Kay eyes race for governorship|newspaper=The Salina Journal|page=23|date=April 5, 1972|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/43974610|accessdate=November 23, 2015}} From January 1979 to June 27, 1982, he served as the Kansas Republican Party chairman.{{Cite news|title=Morris Kay steps down as state GOP chairman|newspaper=The Saline Journal|date=June 27, 1982|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/11621636|accessdate=November 23, 2015}}

Kay died on May 15, 2022 at the age of 89.{{cite web|url=https://rumsey-yost.com/2022/05/morris-a-kay/|title=Morris A. Kay Obituary|website=rumsey-yost.com|access-date=March 7, 2024}}